Heloise: A funny little fuzzy kiwifruit - tasty

Dear Readers: Have you enjoyed the delicious taste of the funny little brown, furry kiwifruit? These small, fuzzy fruits are just plain fun to eat!

They do have a great taste, sort of like strawberries, but not really. When buying, pass over extremely soft or bruised fruit. Squeeze the little fuzzball (not too hard), and it should “give” a little. Time to eat and enjoy.

If still firm, you can ripen the fruit at room temperature (they do look nice in a bowl on the kitchen counter), or in a paper bag with an apple to speed up the process. Once ripened, kiwifruit can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four weeks, or left at room temperature for a few days. — Heloise

P.S.: Did you know you can eat the skin of a kiwifruit? It is completely edible, but most people peel the skin before eating. However, now that I have learned this, I’m going to try one with the skin on!

Dear Heloise: Here are two summer hints my kids can’t do without. First, I always place a small marshmallow in the bottom of ice-cream cones to keep the ice cream from coming out of the bottom.

Second, I place a layer of hazelnut spread or peanut butter around the inside of the cone before the ice cream is added for an extra-special flavor surprise. — Tara W. in Florida

Dear Heloise: I have always wondered if it matters which side is up or down when using regular aluminum foil: the shiny side or the dull side. Any hints? — John W. in Illinois

It makes absolutely no difference which side you use — they are the same!

It’s simply how it’s manufactured. One side is polished by the steel rollers and is shiny, and the “poor” other side is dull. — Heloise

Dear Readers: Which of these items can be used when seeding jalapenos or hot peppers?

A. A grapefruit knife

B. Rubber gloves

C. A vegetable peeler

If you chose A, B or C, you are correct! All can be used when seeding hot peppers, but you should wear rubber gloves. — Heloise

P.S.: If you don’t have rubber gloves, rub some cooking oil on your hands BEFORE dealing with any hot peppers. And for gosh sakes, don’t rub your eyes, nose or any other body part! It’s very painful, and it’s happened to lots of folks!

Dear Heloise: I cut a cantaloupe into quarters, and then I use a grapefruit knife to cut the fruit from the skin. This works great, as the knife is curved and serrated on both sides. — Jeanette W. in New Hampshire

I’m going to look right now and see if I have a grapefruit knife! — Heloise

HELOISEis a syndicated columnist with King Features Syndicate, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio 78279-5000, fax 210-HELOISE.